BSOD: Bad_pool_header. Reboot Loop. !

[electricalice]

I had a browse through other posts and I've seen this problem come up
quite often. I am on my sisters computer at the moment, mine is unusuable.

When I startup my PC it goes straight to the options screen (start windows normally/safe mode/last known good configuration - you know the one)

None of these options work. The PC just crashes half way loading any of them and flashes a BSOD mentioning a "BAD_POOL_HEADER".

I cannot get onto safe mode. I can enter the advanced options screen
by hitting F8 but sadly it just reboots again if I try any of these options.

I have a Windows XP repair disk. I changed the BIOS booting order, so
I was luckily able to access this disk.

I followed instructions on a Windows repair, and hit enter to continue (not R),
I thought this would work, but instead of going to the next stage on the repair,
it reverted back to the BSOD bad_pool_header screen and just got stuck there.


My PC is an Advent PC. I tried the recovery disk and the same thing happened..
only the BSOD said "page_fault_in_nonpaged_area" this time.


I really do not know what on earth is going on,

any suggestions at all would be appriciated so so much,
because I really do need to get my computer fixed.

Thankyou in advance.

 

[Blind Dragon]

Not a suggestion on how to fix yet, but have you recently installed any hardware or software? Upgraded memory?

 

[electricalice]

It happened last year, so long ago that I couldn't tell you exactly what I might of installed; but it is a possibility that I could of installed something new.

But I didn't update my memory nope.

 

[electricalice]

Oh but it would be more likely to be a game if anything,
or some minor programme than software I would of bought.

 

[Route44]

Bad pool Header errors are usually caused by device driver issues (probably the most common), but this can have diverse causes including bad sectors or other disk write issues, and problems with some routers.

1. Run chkdsk

2. Do a harddrive diagnostics

3. Attach your minidumps.

How to find minidumpst:

My Computer > C Drive > Windows Folder > Minidump Folder > Minidump Files.

Attach these files (NOT the folder) to your next post via the Manage Attachment button that will appear when you reply.

 

[electricalice]

Thanks for the help, :]

how exactly do I run chkdisk?

 

[Blind Dragon]

since you cant access windows

Go back into the recover console and get the command prompt

Then type exactly:

chkdsk C: /r

 

[electricalice]

Hmm I'm unable to acccess command prompt, it just loops again.


My dad sent me an email saying it could be faulty memory,
so i'm going to open my hardrive and check the memory chips just now.

I'll let you know :]





Thanks.

 

[Route44]

The only way you can test memory chips to see if they are faulty is by running tests such as MemTest. Good and bad memory looks the same by the mere eye.

 

[Blind Dragon]

well, if you have 2 sticks of RAM you can try removing one stick and see if it works, then try just the other stick, and also try them one at a time in different slots

 

[electricalice]

Well I opened the hard drive up and there only seems to be one memory chip thing, I took it out and tried to put it back in but the clips don't seem to fasten on it now.

 

[Route44]

When you say you opened the harddrive, what do you mean? Were you referring to the side panel of your PC case? harddrives and memory are two different things.

If you are referring to your memory stick, you need to firmly and evenly push your memory stick back in place. Those clips will automatically reset if done correctly. Make sure you are grounded because you do not want any static electricity near your PC, especially the motherboard. Just touch your power supply to discharge any possible static build-up before re-setting your memory.

 

[electricalice]

Thanks;
I clipped the memory chip back in another slot,
turned on and tried to do a XP repair again,
and it just went to the same BSOD again. ]:



Any idea how I can access chkdsk without being able
to access commandd prompt.?

 

[Acclamator]

My Computer>Right Click HDD>Properties>Tools>Error-Checking>Check Now.

 

[Blind Dragon]

That won't work if you can't boot windows.

-no windows
-no command prompt from recovery console

Hopefully somebody comes up with something that works for you, I would suggest at this point you go pick up a new hard drive. If it turns out that is not your problem you can always sell it or use it as a slave drive.

 

[Route44]

Thanks;
I clipped the memory chip back in another slot,
turned on and tried to do a XP repair again,
and it just went to the same BSOD again. ]:



Any idea how I can access chkdsk without being able
to access commandd prompt.?

It just might be memory. I had a bad stick that wouldn't allow me to boot up to the Windows screen before a BSOD occured. Can you borrow a RAM stick and see if you can boot up?

 

[dark green]

Stay Strong !

I had this exact problem a while back, it started because I tried to defrag my hard-drive (pretty simple, right). Turns out that the windows shadow copy service on XP is "no longer supported by MicroSoft" and there is a known bug.

Try this:

1) Load up your boot drive on another machine

2) Use mbrfix (that's Master Boot Record) fix to regenerate a new boot record in the first few bytes of the disk partition. ( software http://www.download.com/MbrFix/3000-2094_4-10485990.html ) (Doesn't hurt to use the same tool to save the old record first, see the help file)

3) Put boot drive back in problem machine.

For me that fixed it. Turns out various things can mess up 4 "unused" bytes in the master boot record. For some reason this causes windows to go into a BAD_POOL_HEADER failure cycle.

For me following these three steps fixed the problem completely and permanently.

Best wishes and let us know how it goes!